Women in Australia are nearly twice as likely as men to feel unsafe at night

Australian women are twice as likely to feel unsafe at night

May 2026 Conjointly Brand Tracker
Share on LinkedIn Summarize with ChatGPT

Women in Australia are nearly twice as likely as men to feel unsafe at night, and it’s getting worse.

The April 2026 Brand Tracker surveyed 1,458 Australian adults. 26% of women feel unsafe at night vs. just 14% of men. 31% of women say they feel less safe than a year ago, compared to 20% of men. Victoria stands apart from every other state: 28% feel unsafe (vs. 17% in NSW) and 38% say the situation has deteriorated over the past 12 months (vs. 21% in NSW).

Social housing residents and renters consistently feel less safe than homeowners, suggesting night time safety concerns are bound up with broader economic security. Under-30s report the highest unsafe feelings right now (24%), yet they are by far the most optimistic group. 16% say they feel safer than a year ago, while only 3% of over-55s say the same. Older Australians feel relatively safe today but are the most worried about where things are heading.

Survey

AU · April 2026 · N = 1,458

Night safety perception

Question 1: On a scale of 1 to 5, how safe do you feel in your city or town at night?

21% of Australians feel unsafe at night.

6%
14%
32%
34%
13%
Not safe at all Slightly unsafe Somewhat safe Mostly safe Completely safe
21% unsafe
32% neutral
47% safe

Results by segment

Bar shows % "unsafe" (bottom 2 box). Line marks the overall average (21%).

Gender

Female
9%
17%
26%
Male
4%
11%
14%

Age group

Under 30
5%
19%
24%
30-55
8%
13%
21%
Over 55
6%
14%
20%

State

Victoria
10%
19%
28%
S. Australia
6%
14%
19%
Queensland
6%
13%
19%
NSW
5%
13%
17%
W. Australia
6%
10%
16%
Tasmania
6%
9%
16%

Housing tenure

Social housing
8%
20%
28%
Renter
7%
17%
24%
Live w/ family
6%
17%
23%
Own outright
7%
13%
20%
Own mortgage
6%
11%
17%
Women, under-30s, and Victorians feel the least safe at night
  • Women are nearly twice as likely as men to feel unsafe at night (26% vs 14% bottom 2 box).
  • Under-30s have the highest unsafe rating (24%).
  • Victoria stands out with 28% feeling unsafe, well above NSW at 17%.
  • Renters and social housing residents feel more unsafe (24% and 28%) compared to homeowners with a mortgage (17%).

Night safety perception compared to last year

Question 2: Do you feel safer or less safe at night compared to one year ago?

26% of Australians feel less safe at night compared to one year ago.

26%
67%
7%
Less safe About the same Safer

Results by segment

Bar shows % "less safe" split by "about the same" and "safer". Line marks the overall average (26%).

Gender

Female
31%
63%
6%
31%
Male
20%
71%
9%
20%

Age group

Under 30
23%
61%
16%
23%
30-55
26%
66%
8%
26%
Over 55
28%
69%
3%
28%

State

Victoria
38%
54%
8%
38%
S. Australia
21%
75%
4%
21%
Queensland
23%
70%
7%
23%
NSW
21%
71%
8%
21%
W. Australia
19%
75%
6%
19%
Tasmania
16%
75%
9%
16%
Victoria and women are driving the sense that things are getting worse, while under-30s buck the trend.
  • Women are more likely to report worsening safety (31% feel less safe vs 20% of men).
  • Victoria leads the deterioration: 38% feel less safe than a year ago, nearly double NSW at 21%.
  • Under-30s have the highest unsafe rating yet are the most optimistic: 16% feel safer than a year ago vs just 3% of over-55s.
Explore Brand Tracker

More data stories

1 in 5 Americans is open to giving up meat if the plant-based alternative tastes right
26 May 2026

1 in 5 Americans is open to giving up meat if the plant-based alternative tastes right

Most Americans would not order a lab grown burger
18 May 2026

Most Americans would not order a lab grown burger

Most Australians use search engines about as much as they did a year ago
18 May 2026

Most Australians use search engines about as much as they did a year ago